Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-08-20
THE BACKMAN'S STORY.
ED. SHORTS EXPERIENCE WITH
A DRUNKEN DETECTIVE.
What Desperate Chances a Jehu
Sometimes Takes in Order to
Turn an Honest Penny.


rather than the advent of booms or finan,
cial prosperity. Carriages stood idle at the
usual stands near the Golden Eagle and
Capital Hotels, while few loungers occu-
pied the chairs outside, listlessly waiting
Macawber like, for. something to turn up,
and commenting on the tout ensemble OF
those who had energy enough TO be walk
ing the street.
The dog days are here again. said Ed.
Short, as he pulled his chair up TO where
the writer was sitting. There is some
| thing peculiar about the infiuencewhich
| this season has upon mankind. 1t Knocks
all the stiffeniDg out of people, and puts a
dead shackle on business of every kind"
1t was evident that Ed. was beginning TO
warm up, and all that was necessary was
to give him patient hearing.
| "This sort of business drought in a
kind of moral cyclone for you hackmen,"
chimed in the writer, eager to see what
| turn would be taken by the voluble Ed.
80, bless my soul; hickman some
times strikes pay dust when there is not a
| color in sight. remember an incident which
occurred just a one year ago. Yes, it was
just before the State Fair 1t was warm
afternoon no breeze, no business, nobody
| on the streets, not a bean in sight for a
hackman with several orphans and wife
on his hands to support but it is strange
| how the Lord will provide" He contin-
ued 1.-The door of the Golden Eagle
swung open and tall, well-built stranger
half staggered out on the sidewalk. He
was not drunk, but in that transitiye state
| which precludes any reasonable man from
saying he was sober, and yet not in that
nj hot l.
as devoid of pretty good business sense.
He evidently knew what he wanted, for he
asked me if knew where Clarksburg was
OF course did, and told him it was several
miles down the Sacramento river on the
1olo side, and | incidentally mentioned
GAINESVILLE. in Ell Dorado county. That
he said, is where l want to go, GAINESVILLE
1t was but the work of few minutes to
decide and arrange details. My best team
and lightest carriage was brought out, and
l announced myself ready for the trip.
Again the Golden Eagle door opened, and
the stranger, with large valise, was handed
into the carriage, where he reclined in a
sort Of stupor. We ratified along over the
dusty road, while | began to wonder if it
could be possible that | vas being duped
by some drunken vagabond, and it occurred
to me that he was very peculiar IL his acts.
| felt all was not just right, and almost
wished l had demanded pay in advance.
Something caused me to look around, and
you may imagine my surprise when tell
you that saw him lean over, open his va
lise, and take out one of the most villain
ous-looking dragon pistols that ever saw
He laid it on the seat by him, and then
coolly picked out pair of handouts. |
was beginning to think my time had come,
and that was alone with mailman. He
next took out roll of printed circulars,
and finally drew forth flask of liquor, and
with evident relish drew long and silent
draught therefrom. 1t is needless to say /
watched him, but did SO slyly. He babe
me stop, and handing me one of the circu-
lars, stated briefly that he had something
to tell me, and he expected my
cooperation, You think am drunk. l
am detective. Nobody knows me here,
and l am on. a mission which will prob
ably cost one or two lives and he smiled
as if he didn't care a copper if the destruc-
ton. of life began at once. And l must
confess that thought could SEES blood in
his eye and insanity in every lineament of
his broad countenance. Without noticing
my concern over the strange proceedings,
he proceeded to tell me that he was Dave
Woods, detective from Oregon, and that
he was after desperate who had killed
his partner over year ago. He proceeded
the very image of the man he was seeking
was before me. l know that could recog-
niZe the murderer on sight. must insist
on your help said Wood, and he spoke
as if he meant it, because Sam is not the
man who will not die game promised
to assist, but must confess that / thought
the whole proceedings a little mixed, and
felt as if would just as soon not meet the
desperate Sam he was looking for. l was
not in the detective business We
were but five miles from GAINESVILLE,
when l recognized Sam on wood
wagon with another man d. was
to Woods, telling him his man was coming
and to get ready. felt for my own pistol.
He reused up, rubbed his eyes, and looked
more stupid than at any previous time.
The only remark he made was, Yes, that's
Sam He commanded me to stop. ex-
pected to see the old dragon pistol pulled
out and preparations for war begun. But
no. Said Dave, Let me speak to him. He
will come to me- l could readily see now
that his idea was to get him in the hack by
some sly ruse, and there was no telling
what would then take place. thought
the plan desperate one.
In response to the call of Dave Woods,
Sam Staples got down, came to the hack,
and heartier shaking of hands | never
saw. Sam got in, accepted an invitation to
ride, and drove on more bewildered than
ever. But now the whisky flask was
brought into service. Both drank, and
drank, so that by the time GAINESVILLE was
reached both Dave and Sam were stupidity
drunk. Dave was put to bed at the little
hotel kept by a French widow, but Sam
was sufficiently sober to be the terror of the
village, and took occasion to tell me that
Dove Won1s onindfar <,f fba xrrret
sort, and that he should improve the first
opportunity he had of blowing the top of
his head off, and suiting the action to the
word, he drew forth a pistol that was in
ever respect match for Dawes firearms ex-
hibitedin the carriage.
"At supper time Dave had so far recovered
that he could relish a square meal, which
insisted on his having, as / began to
think, under the circumstances, that less
whisky and more sober moments might do
something toward clearing up the mystery
surrounding the whole affair. ! sat be-
tween Dave and Sam at the table, but
did not feel comfortable. Their conversa-
| ton was of a complex nature, and good
| feeling did not seem TO exist. Like flash,
| Sam drew Eis pistol, and leyeled it for a
moment across my shoulders at Dave, who
glared fiercely, but did not move. IN an
| instant had the pistol, and forced Sam
| into his seat. The meal was finished soon,
and both the strange men were drowning
their difficulties at the neighboring bar. In
an hour /. had Dave in bed, and was deter
mined to keep him there. if possible, until
he sobered up. The braggadocies of Sam
Staples finally led to his arrest for assault,
and his trial took place at IL o'clock at
| night, in weird Courtroom. before JUS
| tice Tongue. The trial resulted in YER
dict of not guilty. | retired to bed, and
after the exciting scenes of the afternoon
and evening, you may be sure that
| could not sleep. / pondered
over the mystified detective business the
| threats to kill the cordial greeting of Dave
and Sam; the bad blood which seemed to
exist between them, and last, but not least,
the peculiar drunken conduct of Dave A
gentle rap at my door brought me out, to
| find Justice Tongue, full of business, and
DESTROYS of having my assistance. He ex-
| planned how it was possible TO convict Sam
of breaking the peace, and as Dave had
| already furnished him twenty or two, it
was easily to be seen that he would pay
any reasonable fine to keep Sam out Of
| Jail. And he incidentally remarked that
the Court was needing few good fines just
| now in order to make q good quarterly
! showing. 1t was arranged that | should
conduct the defense. 1t was 3 A. NJ but